June 25, 1999
Blood Tests and Insulin Injections
Question from Boston, Massachusetts, USA:
We test my 5-year-old (diagnosed 3 years ago with Type 1) at least 4 times a day: upon waking; before lunch; before dinner and at bedtime, all of which occur at about the same times every day. We test also when there is an obvious need, but we don’t chart these numbers. I had heard that we should be testing at various times throughout the day because we may be missing instances when her blood sugar “spikes” on a regular basis. My concern is that her endocrinologist isn’t getting the real picture of how her blood sugar fluctuates throughout the day. Should I be testing and keeping track of her numbers at more varied times, like take her “before lunch” number at 9:45 A.M. one day, 11:30 A.M. the next, and so on?
Answer:
Certainly, four glucoses a day can’t give a total picture of diabetes. Combined with A1c, we get a better look.
Don’t make your daughter crazy testing every few minutes. It is a balance of knowledge, pain, inconvenience, etc. Some other times of the day are useful, just be judicious.
LD
[Editor’s comment: Many people test more often than four times per day, especially when active during the summer. Our daughter tests before swimming, for example, in addition to other times of the day.
JSH]
